Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx Player Stats and Box Score (Sep. 21)

The Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx saw two of the top teams face each other to seal their place in the WNBA Finals. In Game 1 of the series, the Mercury took a 2-point lead in the opening quarter behind Alyssa Thomas' early punch.

After Thomas opened the Mercury's scoring in the first few seconds of the game, the Lynx had their first basket from a 3-point shot from Napheesa Collier, taking a 3-2 lead. After exchanging buckets, the Lynx took their first lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game.

The Mercury continued their offense with a scoring run from Satou Sabally and Thomas. On the other hand, Collier and Kayla McBride led Minnesota's offense.

In the second quarter, the Mercury saw six quick points from Sami Whitcomb, helping them take a quick 6-point lead in thr early minutes. However, Natisha Hiedeman's 3-pointer and a 2-point shot from Courtney Williams cut the lead to just one point. Kahleah Copper and Thomas dominated the last three minutes to get a 7-point lead before halftime.

The Lynx were able to slow down the Mercury's offense in the third quarter, holding them to just 12 points. Thomas and Sabally, who dominated the first two quarters, scored just one point in total. Sabally remained scoreless.

The Lynx trio, Collier, McBride and Williams, combined for 16 of their 19 points in the third quarter. The quarter ended with the score tied at 59.

The Lynx carried their dominance on both ends in the 4th quarter. The Mercury's top players succumbed to the Lynx's suffocating defense. Phoenix was held to just 10 points in the quarter. Minnesota outscored Phoenix by 13 points for a 69-82 win, and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Courtney Williams led the game both in points and assists. She had 23 points and 7 assists in 33 minutes. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride added 18 and 21 points, respectively. Kahleah Copper was Mercury's top scorer with 22 points. Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally added 18 and 10 points.

Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx Player Stats and Box Score

Phoenix Mercury

Player	PTS	REB	AST	FG	STL	PF
Alyssa Thomas	18	8	7	9-17	3	1
Natasha Mack	6	3	0	3-4	0	0
Satou Sabally	10	6	3	3-11	2	0
Kahleah Copper	22	2	1	10-23	0	1
Monique Akoa Makani	2	1	3	1-6	0	1
DeWanna Bonner	0	9	2	0-4	0	3
Kathryn Westbeld	0	3	1	0-1	1	0
Sami Whitcomb	11	3	2	5-9	0	0

Minnesota Lynx

Player	PTS	REB	AST	FG	STL	PF
Bridget Carleton	5	8	3	2-5	0	4
Alanna Smith	4	6	3	2-6	0	3
Napheesa Collier	18	9	2	8-16	0	1
Kayla McBride	21	6	2	6-17	0	0
Courtney Williams	23	8	7	11-19	5	1
Jessica Shepard	2	1	1	1-3	0	1
Maria Kliundikova	4	4	1	2-3	2	0
Natisha Hiedeman	5	0	2	2-8	0	0

About the author

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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